Beyond Time
by Jack Hargreave
Summary: Semi-sequel to Long Time, with a series of one-shots following the Estheims' new life together.
1. Terror

**Terror**

…

" **So I didn't disappear after all, hi!"**

 **This is a semi-sequel to Long Time, see it as a series of one-shots in no particular order.**

 **The first chapter came from a whim basically, and is like Long Time very text heavy in the beginning, albeit shorter than Long Time.**

 **It deals with the terror of in-laws.**

 **Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Final Fantasy 13 or the Lightning Saga in any way, shape or form.**

…

Every action had a consequence. Push something and it will fall over, possibly knocking over something else and creating a chain reaction. Hope Estheim knew that very well, he had based his whole career around that very concept. But more than a thousand years as a scientist and man of logic and reason could've never prepared him for his re-reunion with Serah Farron Villiers, now as her brother-in-law.

He and Lightning had slipped away from the Villiers' wedding shortly after their own little ceremony and had went on their own honeymoon. They had spent a little over a week together, getting to know each other again and making plans for the future. _Those plans seem to be very far away now_ , Hope thought as he stared at his looming death.

Both he and Lightning had kept their cell phones turned off during their honeymoon since both of them knew their friends and family wouldn't stop at anything to reach them… Hope didn't think that was strange considering their sudden and scandalous elopement.

But they had to return to their lives at some point, and that meant facing their families and friends with the news. Hope could manage his mother and father, especially his father since the old man almost had walked in on them minutes before the ceremony. Hope was thankful that Bartholomew Estheim had chosen to respect his son's wishes and had left without alerting Nora. He did feel guilt over not inviting them, but Lightning had wanted to keep the ceremony to a minimum, and he would honour that wish. Hope was however certain that his parents would come to like their daughter-in-law, there was no doubt about that.

He wasn't worried about Lightning's parents either, despite not knowing them. He was sure they'd warm up to the idea at some point after he proved himself to them. Their friends were surprised, but he doubted anyone was really against the idea of him and Lightning marrying. It would just be something they'd have to get used to. He was sure even Snow would accept the idea at some point.

The one person who would take some effort to convince was none other than Lightning's little sister, Serah. The young woman had a glare which could match her sister's any day, a glare which she didn't even have the curtesy to give him.

Lightning had shown him her cell phone the day they returned home. She had a few hundred missed calls and unread messages, 169 of which came from Serah.

The two Estheims had decided to visit the Villiers directly instead of getting an earful on the phone. Hope regretted that decision now as he sat in the Villiers Livingroom. The newlywed couple had small but functional apartment in a small county town, close to where Serah was studying. It had one bedroom for the residents, a well-organized kitchen, a big Livingroom with a balcony, bathroom with all the necessities and finally a guestroom which Hope guessed would become the room of the first Villiers offspring if the couple decided to remain in the apartment when they decided to multiply their numbers.

Hope and Lightning were sitting next to each other on a small sofa, facing Serah and Snow opposite to them on a much larger sofa. Hope would've relished feeling Lightning's thighs pressed against his any other day, but right then and there: he wanted to be anywhere else.

Snow wore a worried expression, awkwardly scratching his head and looking between his in-laws and his wife.

Serah had a big frown on her face and had crossed her arms over her chest. Hope gulped as the young woman impatiently tapped a foot against the wooden floor, the soft sound seemed to echo against the walls in the deathly quiet room. She had refused to speak to either him or Lightning since they had arrived and had simply instructed them to sit down.

It had now gone more than an hour since the Estheims arrived… the suspense was killing Hope and he wasn't afraid to admit that he was terrified.

He glanced at his wife, who nonchalantly sipped her third cup of tea. It was almost empty again, and Hope could see that Snow looked at his sister-in-law apprehensively, almost like he looked forward to slip away back to the kitchen to get some more hot water and biscuits. _You don't know how much I envy you, 'little bro'_ , Hope thoughts.

The silence was broken when Lightning finished her cup of tea and cleared her throat. "How about we deal with this like adults instead of stubborn children.

Serah glared at her sister. "That's rich coming from the one who eloped from her own sister's wedding."

Hope held his breath as Lightning calmly placed the teacup on its plate. "It was our decision to do so." She nodded towards Hope. "We're both adults after all."

Serah slammed her hands into the sofa. Hope almost chuckled when Snow jumped in his seat. Almost.

"But you didn't invite us! Your family!" And that was the crux of the issue. Serah was angry she hadn't been invited to their wedding ceremony. "And to top that off: you invited Fang, Vanille and Alyssa! But not me, your sister!"

To some it would've sounded like she was vain, but Hope understood that it meant the world for Serah. The betrayal hurt.

"We needed witnesses", Lightning calmly explained. "Fang was my witness, Vanille was supposed to be Hope's, but she was…" Lightning sighed. "Too hung-over, so we asked Alyssa instead. It wasn't personal, Serah. It would've been unfair to invite you and not Nora. It would've been unfair to invite Nora instead of mom, and so on. We wanted a small and simple ceremony, something to be our moment."

That caused Snow to snicker. "Your moment? Like when the two of you had a make out session and couldn't get to a room quick enough? In front of everyone?" Snow smirked at Hope. "Really, Hope? Stealing the maid of honour on the dancefloor? And then running away the following morning? That's bad manners if I've ever seen 'em."

Hope almost blushed and he could see the faintest traces of red on Lightning's cheeks.

"And then you spent nine days in Venice of all places", Serah continued. "A successful model and one of the most accomplished businessmen in the world. The media loved that one, didn't it?"

Hope hadn't thought about it that way, but she did have a point. It was the kind of clichéd story the paparazzi loved, and someone had managed to take a number of photographs of him and Lightning during their honeymoon in Venice. There were pictures of them eating at restaurants, seeing the sights, traveling by boat in the canals and even when they were in a hurry to get back to their hotel suite. He was at least glad no one had managed to get into their room when they were… preoccupied. _That would've been embarrassing_.

"Like I said", Lightning began. "We're both adults who can make our own decisions. The media will stop making an issue of it as soon as they get someone else's private affairs to bother." She looked at Serah with a kind smile, the same smile Hope would traverse time and space to see. "Are you worried about me?"

"Of course I am!" Serah exclaimed. "This is just so unlike you; I was taken by surprise when I heard you had run away with Hope. I just can't figure out what'll happen now."

"Serah", Hope said. It was time for him to enter the conversation. "I promise I'll make your sister happy. That is all I ever wanted."

Serah chuckled at that. "Oh, I know you will. You waited for her for a millennium. I know you're dedicated to her alright."

The atmosphere had calmed down, at least a bit. Hope sighed in relief and leaned back in the sofa. "Is there any way we can make it up for you?"

Snow smirked at that. "Well, you kinda ruined our honeymoon. How about you put in some money for a second one?"

Lightning snorted at that. "And you talk about bad manners, Snow. We didn't ruin anything."

"But we did rock the boat a bit", Hope said. He thought Snow was a bit cheeky to ask for something like that, especially since his company had payed for the Villiers wedding and the first honeymoon. But he knew of a way to compromise.

"Sis", he said and smiled when Serah and Snow stared at him in surprise. "Bro. How about this instead? Name a country or city you want to visit. I'll provide you with a private jet, and a week in a company apartment. How does that sound."

Serah and Snow looked at each other for a split second before turning back to Hope. "That sounds pretty good, we accept", Snow said.

Hope silently cheered. _Halfway there! The right bribe will get you far_!

Serah looked at Hope apologetically. "You don't have to do that; Snow was just being Snow."

Lightning moved her lips to say something but Hope was quicker. "I know, but we did make you worry. It's no trouble, really, please accept it."

"You know you're too nice sometimes", Lightning muttered beside him.

Serah let out a sigh in defeat. "Fine. On the condition that the four of us spend our next vacation together."

"Sounds good", Hope said before he realized what he had just agreed on. _Spending a vacation of my precious time with Light… together with Snow!_

Lightning was shaking her head in bemused disappointment. "Oh boy, this'll be interesting."

Hope reacted without thinking and grabbed her hand, intervened their fingers while desperately trying to form a plan. He decided to return to the main topic, the one they had visited the Villiers' for in the first place. He held up their hands for Serah to see.

"Do we have your blessing?" Hope asked Serah.

Serah looked at their joined fingers, Hope's honest face and finally Lightning's humoured smile. She actually giggled a little. "I guess I have no choice." She looked Hope in the eyes. "Welcome to the family, Hope."

…

 **And it's done for now.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **In loving memory of my brother Michael, may your name be redeemed in time.**


	2. Vacation

" **Greetings!"**

 **This chapter was made without much thought put into it. Take it for what it is.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 13 in any way.**

 **This chapter may be a bit more risqué in implications but I don't think it warrants an M rating.**

…

 **Vacation**

…

Lightning spent much of her time traveling due to her job as a model. A photoshoot in Ireland this day, recording a clothing commercial in Italy the next and then going to Spain for a fashion show by the end of the week. She figured she probably spent half the year abroad. Not that she was complaining much, she enjoyed her work, and she got to see much of the beauty in the world she had kept safe.

But Claire "Lightning" Farron Estheim was content to spend her off days at home or close to her family. Going abroad on vacation was rarely something she would indulge. Her ten-day long honeymoon and subsequent anniversary, both in Venice, were the rare exceptions.

Hope didn't complain about that arrangement, and she wasn't surprised by that either. After all, he spent more days traveling per year than not. He was content with staying at home when he would get the chance.

Which was why both Lightning and Hope had tried to stall the impending vacation with Serah and Snow for months until they finally had given in on the condition that Lightning and Hope got to decide where they went.

Lightning had long since learned to endure and even like Snow. He was a good husband and did everything in his power to make sure her sister was happy. But spending an entire week with the big oaf? That wasn't something Lightning would consider a good time.

 _At least he has something else to keep himself occupied with besides getting on my nerves_ , Lightning thought and glanced from her sunchair towards the Villiers'. Serah was resting under an umbrella with Snow sitting next to her. The big man was busying himself pouring water from a large bottle into a glass for Serah. His were eyes constantly turning towards her growing belly.

Lightning smiled at the sight. _Yes, he'll make a good husband and father_ , she concluded. Lightning had first objected to her sister's early parenthood, but she had quickly changed her opinion when she saw the glowing smile on Serah's lips. They were happy, she was happy for them as well, and that was all that mattered.

Both Lightning and Hope had concluded that Serah would stop insisting on the joint-vacation when she announced that she was pregnant, but the young woman had grown even more stubborn as time passed. 'We need to do this now, before I deliver', Serah had said.

Lightning and Hope had given in and had booked a weeklong stay on the Island of Altis in the Greece sea. It was a small island and didn't see the crowds of tourists the other islands in the Mediterranean saw. It also had a well-functioning hospital, which had been Lightning's top criteria when they were searching for a good vacation-spot.

They had been there for two days, doing nothing but bathing in the sea and the sun. Hope had first seemed hesitant about spending an entire week on the beach, but that hesitation had changed as soon as Lightning had changed into one of her bikinis.

The four of them had rented a car and had found a small, secluded beach a few kilometres away from the hotel. Lightning suspected that they'd return here during the following days as well. It was quiet, secluded and didn't involve any other tourists, which was some of Lightning's other demands for the trip.

She glanced to the right. Her husband was lying on a sunchair of his own, his otherwise pale skin had already gotten a faint tan from the previous day at the beach. A quick glance told her that the same applied to her own body.

Hope wore a pair of blue swimming trunks and a pair of expensive-locking sunglasses. He was lying motionless, with the faintest traces of his chest rising with his breaths. But Lightning knew he wasn't asleep. His face was slightly tilted towards her, and she could just make out his open eyelids at the corner of the sunglasses. She chuckled at the sight. They had been married for over a year now, and he would still give her his undivided attention. Particularly when there were little to no clothing involved.

"I know you're not asleep, you know", she said with a humoured grin.

He grinned back at her. "Even so, I know you don't mind."

Lightning glanced at his body. She had decided to put him under strict training after they had gotten married. Not that he wasn't in shape before, but she had wanted to see if he could improve himself further. Hope had taken her words to heart, according to Alyssa, who had told Lightning that Hope would spend some time every day to keep his body in shape. Lightning made sure to show her husband just how much she appreciated the result whenever her mood struck.

"And complaining would make me a hypocrite", Lightning said and stretched her back, fully aware of where Hope's eyes went.

They remained silent for a while until Hope spoke. "I think it was a good idea, actually. Going on vacation I mean. I really needed to get away from the company." He nodded towards Snow and Serah. "Plus, Snow wasn't so bad after all."

"That's because he's dotting over Serah", Lightning said. "But I'm glad he does that. The kids will probably keep him busy as well."

"Kids?" Hope asked. "You think they'll get more?"

"Yeah, they want a 'big, happy family', after all", Lightning said in her best mocking attempt to imitate Snow.

"You don't seem to mind", Hope said. "I figured you'd be more protective of Serah. At least in that regard."

Lightning shock her head. "No, she is an adult woman. She can make her own choices. Whatever makes her happy is good enough for me."

They had had similar conversations before. Lightning didn't mind them, she understood that Hope was testing the waters around another subject. Themselves and their future. They had talked about children in the beginning, but had decided to _'bask in their youth'_ , as Lightning had said one night when she was a bit tipsy. She knew they'd have children eventually, but she also wanted to feel finished with her career as a model before she took that leap. Hope would also need to cut down on his workload before children could become a reality. The next Estheims wouldn't grow up feeling forgotten by their father after all.

Hope caressed her bare shoulder and arm. He smiled at her. "Whatever makes you happy is good enough for me."

…

 **Done for now.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **See you next time.**


	3. Venice (Hope)

**Venice**

 **(Hope)**

…

" **What, did you think I'd be gone forever?"**

 **This chapter takes place before the other ones (chronologically) and just after "Long Time".**

 **I'm not sure about it, but here goes anyway.**

 **I intend to make a chapter from Lightning's perspective as well, but that'll have to wait. I have lots of work to do, and Final Fantasy 15 is just around the door.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy in any way.**

 **Also, there are mentions of more mature subjects in this chapter, but nothing worse than you've already seen. It shouldn't be that scandalous.**

…

Hope Estheim had spent every waking moment during the last 13 years of his life building his company. Falsifying his ID when he was too young to register as a business owner, essentially skipping the second half of primary school since he already knew more than the entire class put together, entering university to find likeminded individuals at the age of 16 instead of actually studying. The list went on and on, everything for the sake of realizing his ideals for the world.

He had only gone on vacations during his teens when his parents all but emotionally blackmailed him to come, but that had come to a halt when he reached 18 and took full control of his life and all he had worked to achieve so far. Not that he didn't love his parents, he had made sure to speak to them frequently, even visit them from time to time when his work allowed it (or Alyssa demanded it).

These sacrifices had payed off. He was feeling hopeful for the future of mankind. All had went according to his calculations and predictions.

What Hope Estheim hadn't seen coming into his life was Lightning Farron. His former mentor, the woman whose visage had broken him, the woman who had saved him… the woman he had fallen for.

He would've never imagined the two of them would share a kiss on the dance floor, spend the night together… or get married themselves the following morning.

They had left the chateau as discretely as possible with the car they had arrived in the previous day and had decided on where they'd spend their honeymoon on the way to the airport.

Lightning had suggested Venice. Hope had smiled at the suggestion. The city was said to be a perfect place for loving couples on their honeymoon, as well as a tourist hotspot throughout the whole year. It seemed a bit like a big cliché, but so did the whole weekend so far. Besides, Venice was supposed to be a beautiful city, and Hope had always wanted to see it, so he had wholeheartedly agreed with his wife.

They booked a suite in one of the larger hotels in the innermost parts of the city, it wasn't cheap, but Hope didn't intend to spare any expanses when it came to Lightning.

They had just reached the hotel lobby when they realized that they didn't have any luggage or spare clothing with them. Hope wore a spare suit from the car and Lightning wore a simple yet beautiful sundress. They had immediately set out to get some more clothes, as well as a pair of wedding rings.

They found a nice jewellery not too far from the hotel. Neither Hope nor Lightning were in the mood to waste time and quickly picked a pair of platina rings and then inquired if they could have their names engraved in them. The jeweller had told that wouldn't be a problem, but they'd have to wait for the rings for two weeks then.

Hope had then acted without thinking and offered the jeweller a number of bills with a total worth of 3000 Euro if he could get it done within the hour. _Money opens doors_ , Hope thought with a bemused smile as the jeweller informed them that he'd get on it right away.

"Excellent", Hope had said. "We'll have lunch in the meantime."

"I'm pretty sure you could've gone for a lower price", Lightning said as they left the store and began navigating the narrow streets in search of a restaurant.

He placed his hand on the small of her back and brought her body against his. "Yeah, but that sum made sure he's motivated to work quickly."

She chuckled and nuzzled her head against his shoulder. "You know I'd object more if I didn't know money wasn't the issue."

"And that's why I can get away with it", Hope said with a big grin.

They stopped at a pizzeria. Hope would've never imagined that the meal on his wedding day would've been pizza, but they were both hungry and didn't care to search for a nicer place with a empty table. The pizzas were at least of restaurant quality and not the fast-food variant you'd get with a phone call.

They did some shopping after the lunch, got some clothes and then went back to the store and got their rings. Hope payed the jeweller the promised bonus with a bit extra for speedy service.

They continued shopping clothes during the afternoon, mostly simple clothing for the warm weather, shorts, t-shirts and the like. Hope's favourite part of their little shopping spree was the part where they got bathing suits. Lightning picked a bikini and was about to head for the clerk when Hope stopped her and asked her to test it before making a purchase. One bikini had soon become a dozen to test, at which point Lightning had had enough.

"Okay", Hope said and held up his hands in surrender. "The first one was the best."

His wife glared at him. "You just wanted to see me in these bikinis for you own pleasure."

He smirked. "Guilty as charged. But you love me anyway."

They then returned to the hotel and their suite with their purchases, and spent the rest of the afternoon getting more acquainted with one another.

They went out for dinner during the evening. Hope had found a supposedly fantastic fish restaurant in the narrow streets of the northern parts of the city, a bit of a hike from their hotel.

Hope laughed at the irony when both ended up ordering venison instead of anything from the sea, but they enjoyed the meal and accompanying wine immensely. Though Hope believed the company made the biggest difference to the mood.

He had never indulged the whims that he'd spend a honeymoon with Lightning, sitting opposite to her and just losing himself in those beautiful eyes of her. Yes, even Hope Estheim could be sappy at times.

They then ended up spending a few hours in a small room in a nearby hotel, Hope would've liked to stay there for the whole night, but Lightning had insisted they'd return to their proper hotel before falling asleep. They'd payed a large fee for it after all. Hope had agreed with her logic and had reluctantly gotten dressed again.

It was on the way back everything took a turn for the worse. Lightning had smirked at him and suddenly shoved him away from her. He fell to the ground and stared at her in bewilderment. "Light, what…?"

She smiled playfully and nodded down the streets towards the general direction of their hotel. "Try to catch me. I'll reward you if you succeed." And then she took off running.

Hope briefly entertained the thought of what that reward would entail and then took off after her.

He was pretty fit for his profession, but you didn't become a sprinter by attending board meetings and stare down microscopes for hours on end. He eventually lost her in the big labyrinth of streets and canals and had to stop when he realized he had no idea of where he was in relation to… everything!

The streets seemed to be wider then he remembered, and the people was dressed differently, not by much, but it was noticeable.

And the canals were just… wrong! Some of them were suspended above ground and water level, defying all logic. And all signs were written in English, Hope saw no traces of Italian or Latin. He probably looked like a lost kid when he strolled down the streets, aimlessly looking for something familiar, anything really. One person in particular.

He asked around if anyone had seen a young woman with rose-coloured hair, wearing a white sundress, but no one seemed to have any idea who he was looking for. He tried to call her, but found that he had no service on his phone.

He searched for hours, scanning the thousands of faces of the crowds for that familiar smirk and lock of pink hair which always found its way over her left shoulder. He searched restaurants and bars, but none had the one person he was looking for.

The signs said "Altissa", and no one seemed to know what Venice was. No one seemed to recognize him, Hope Estheim, the world-renowned businessman and scientist! They didn't seem to know anything about a certain stray model either.

 _Okay, Hope! Calm down and regroup!_ He told himself and sank down on a chair in the last bar he had searched. He scanned the people occupying the chairs. All of them were nicely dressed in one wat or the other, but they looked just a bit different then the clothes from Earth.

"Where am I?" Hope asked no one in particular and sighed.

"Obviously in the wrong place", an unfamiliar voice said.

Hope looked up at the man who had spoken. He was young, barely past twenty, had black hair, was dressed in black and had an aura of suppressed indifference radiating from him. He sat down next to Hope and offered him a nod.

"Yeah", Hope agreed. "But I don't know where the right place is either."

"Who are you looking for?" The young man asked.

Hope held up his new wedding ring. "My wife. We got… separated I suppose. Now I can't find her."

"You just got hitched?" The young man asked.

A chuckle escaped Hope's lips. "Yeah, you could say that. We came… here for our honeymoon."

"Then I'm sure she's out there somewhere, searching for you as well."

Hope liked to think that as well… but he was sure she was searching in another city… in an entirely different world.

"It's just not fair", he mumbled. "I've waited to be with her for so long… and now she's gone again. All the searching, and for what?"

"Search some more, then", the young man said. "You won't find her by giving up now."

Hope chuckled. It was an obvious advice, but he didn't know where to start looking. Or rather how to get back to his world. "But how?"

"Get your butt out of that chair and out the door is a good start", the young man said. "Acting that distraught won't get you any closer to her."

Hope stood up quickly, like an invisible force had propelled him onto his feet. "Right, thanks, Mr?"

"Just Noctis is fine."

Hope nodded. _Weird name, but who am I to judge?_ "Thanks for the advice, Noctis. I'll go find her now."

Noctis gave him an offhand wave and turned to the bartender. Hope met a trio of young men entering the establishment as he left. The smallest of them was a blond man sporting a bruised eye and was led by one of his friends, a big brute of a man who reminded Hope a bit of Snow.

"I told you not to hit on that woman", The big brute said to his bruised friend. "That ring was more than a piece of jewellery."

"But she was so pretty!" the blond objected. "I just wanted to talk to her a bit more!"

Hope ignored them and suddenly emerged back onto the much more narrow streets of Venice. He turned back and wasn't surprised to see that the bar he had entered wasn't there anymore.

A dream? Or did I drink too much? What happened just now? Where was…?

"Hope?"

His head spun around to the source of the voice. He'd recognise that voice anywhere, in this world or one where they built canals above the water.

"Where have you been?" Lightning asked. "I've been looking for you for hours."

Hope interrupted any further questions by hugging her and holding her as tight as possible. He didn't care about the myriad of strangers walking on the street, many of which were snickering or cheering. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you", he said.

Lightning returned his hug and nuzzled her head against his neck. "Maybe not, but you do know that it's bad manners to keep the bride waiting on the wedding night."

Hope stared at her and then laughed. They made it back to their suite in record time.

…

 **So, that's it for now.**

 **See you again when I see you.**

 **Good hunting, and I hope you'll enjoy Final Fantasy 15.**

 **Take care!**


	4. Venice (Lightning)

**Venice**

 **Lightning**

…

" **Hello on you!"**

 **Happy new year. Here is the Venice event from Lightning's perspective.**

 **Not much, but it'll have to do.**

 **I know it may clash a bit with the previous chapter, but it is what it is.**

…

"You sure know how to pick them, don't you Claire?" Lightning murmured to herself.

He weekend had been great. Serah's wedding had gone off without a hitch. Her reconnection with Hope had exceeded her expectations. Or maybe she had underestimated Hope's commitment?

She glanced at the ring on her hand. She just worn it for a couple of hours, yet that time seemed to be several lifetimes in the past. "How about Venice?" she asked herself in a mocking tone. "I've always wanted to see it, and I've heard it's a good place to spend the honeymoon." Hope had accepted the idea without a second though. She suspected he would've accepted almost any proposal if it meant they spent it together.

The honeymoon had started good enough despite their unorthodox wedding. They got a nice suite in a good hotel, had unfortunately been forced to buy new clothes for the coming week, but neither of them was the kind of person who liked to spend time shopping for clothing. _"Let's just get what we need and be done with it"_ , she had said when they left the hotel lobby.

Hope hadn't spared any expanses when it came to their rings. They hadn't been cheap to begin with, and then he had spent a ridiculous amount of money on getting their names engraved into them on short notice. Not that she was complaining, she knew he was impatient after a millennium of waiting for her. He played for keeps and was serious. Money wasn't an issue either, so she had no problem indulging his whims.

The dinner at the famous fish restaurant during the evening had probably been the best dinner in either of her lives. It had been ironic that both of them had ordered meat instead of any of the signature dishes from the sea, but Lightning found it laughably ironic. The food had tasted amazing, the music from the musicians on the small stage had been soothing, the night breeze had caressed her bare arms with the same reverence as her actual lover sitting on the opposite end of the table. Hope's gaze had been filled with love and amazement. She had blushed a bit from the way he looked at her. _Never thought that would've happened_ , Lightning thought.

They had ended up in a rather cheap hotel room after the dinner. It had suited them for their immediate needs, but Lightning had no intention of spending her wedding night in such a badly kept room when they had an expensive suite waiting for them just a short walk away.

Hope had objected when she told him to get dressed, but had been much more enthusiastic when she had promised him they'd continue where they'd left of as soon as they got back to their suite.

Then she had made the grave mistake of challenging Hope to a run back to their hotel, promising she'd make it up to him if he managed to catch her. The look on his face had made her laugh when she took of down the narrow streets. Hope would've been very eager when they got back, Lightning reasoned, though she suspected they wouldn't make it back to the hotel tonight if he couth up with her, but it was a bet she was willing to make.

Lightning quickly realized she had underestimated Venice after a few streets and turns. The city of canals was nothing short of a maze, a great labyrinth of streets and buildings built around water with no clear logic to them. Hope was also the one who had the map…

She quickly swallowed her pride and turned back the way she had come. Losing to her husband wouldn't be so bad compared to wandering the streets aimlessly all night.

She wasn't sure when the change occurred, it could've been gradually or maybe it was so sudden she didn't register it. The streets had grown much wider, and the buildings were much higher than she remembered. The city also seemed to be tiered, as in multi-levelled with both streets, walkways and canals running both above and through the buildings. The letters on the signs had also changed drastically until they barely were recognizable as Latin letters.

There was also no mention of Venice. Altissia was the name of proudly written on most of the signs. Lightning had never heard of this city, and quickly suspected that she wasn't on earth any longer. She understood the people, but they spoke of places and events she had never heard about. The way they were dressed also diverted from the way the tourists in Venice were dressed.

"Strange world with strange people", Lightning said to no one in particular. The hours quickly passed as she made her way through the city. Questions began to linger instead of the anger or annoyance Lightning Farron would've felt back on Cocoon.

How had she ended up here, and why now? Had Bhunivelze sent her to this city as some sort of punishment for her betrayal? Maybe one of his pawns, like Pulse or Lindzei? No, that wouldn't be like them. She suspected they'd be much more direct than that. They'd also make sure she knew she was being punished. This seemed much more… random, like someone's whim.

 _But what about Hope?_ Lightning thought. Had he been swept here with her, or was he prowling the streets of Venice, searching in vain for her?

Lightning had kept her phone turned off since their little wedding earlier that morning. She knew Serah would bombard her with angry calls and texts, but now she needed to get hold of Hope. It was a long shot, but it was better than nothing.

 _No service_ , a text read on the screen.

"Great", Lightning said. "What do I do now?"

Her train of thought was interrupted by a gruff voice.

"Fancy seeing you here!"

Lightning spun around and came face to face with two young men. One was pretty tall, sporting glasses and was nicely dressed. He oozed an aura of intelligence, kind of like Hope, but something made Lightning think of him as a bit of a snob.

His friend was big, almost as big as her oaf of a brother-in-law. He sported several scars on his face and chest, and looked like someone who had a PhD in push ups.

"Excuse me?" Lightning asked. She had never seen these two men in her life and didn't really have any intention of making new acquaintances.

The man in glasses quickly took a step back and cleared his throat. "Pardon us, miss. We mistook you for a friend of ours."

"Yeah, you look just like her", the big brute said. "Except for the colour of your hair. Same posture as her."

Lightning was about to ask them about the area but was suddenly interrupted by a pair of unfamiliar arms wrapping around her waist.

"Aranea!" A entustiatic voice called from behind her, probably the owner of aforementioned arms.

Lightning was too shocked to react at first. The looks of the two men gave the one behind her told her that this one had made the same mistake they had. He just happened to be more… hands on than them. She quickly gathered her thoughts and was about to shake him off when she felt the hands traveling upwards. It was slight but noticeable. _Oh, hell no!_

Lightning would never be the warrior she once had been, but she could still throw a punch when she needed to. This was one of those moments. She spun around and aimed her fist at the young man's face. The fist connected just under the blond man's right eye and sent him flying.

Lightning straightened herself when his two friends made their way to help him up and gave all three of them her signature glare.

"I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not her. I also don't appreciate being held by strangers."

The man with glasses looked at her and then the ring on her hand. "Our apologies, ma'am. We didn't think our friend would be this… glad to see the woman he mistook you for."

Lightning sighed and was about to leave when an idea struck her mind. "You can make it up for me by answering a question."

"Of course, how may we help?" He spoke with the same tone and formality of a butler.

She held up her ring. "I'm looking for my husband. We got separated somewhere… around here", she said despite knowing the last time she had seen Hope had been a world away.

"There are a lot of people in this city", the brute said. "What does he look like?"

"He's young but has silvery hair… a thin frame, like your bespectacled friend here. I also imagine he's tipsy right now, he drank a lot of wine earlier tonight." She secretly hoped he hadn't fallen into a canal. "He's really smart when he's not being stupid. Can figure out most things and people if he sets his mind to it."

"That reminds us of someone we've met", the brute said. He began to help his blonde friend up from the ground. "Does he happen to be a journalist?"

The question took a few seconds for Lightning to process. "No, he's a businessman and scientist."

The bespectacled man nodded. "Then, I'm afraid we're talking about different people. Sorry we couldn't be of any more help."

"It's okay", Lightning said. "I need to get going."

"Wait!" the blonde suddenly jumped to his feet. "Let us help you! We know the area pretty well, you're obviously new around here!" He seemed… Hopeful? Lightning didn't understand why.

"We just came…", the brute began to say but was interrupted by his smaller blonde friend.

"Dude, shut up!" His eyes lingered on her dress.

Lightning understood why he wanted to help. She wouldn't have any of it. The second punch sent him to the floor unconscious.

Lightning didn't expect any of his friends to intervene, and neither of them did. She stormed off before she'd get to explain the situation to a police officer and waste even more of her time. She had a husband to find after all.

The streets suddenly seemed to be much more narrow and Venice-like. The signs were in Latin and Italian once again, and the people looked like regular tourists from earth. Lightning ran into Hope shortly afterwards. He was standing in front of an empty wall, looking both confused and relieved.

"Hope?" Lightning tried, not sure how she could possibly explain where she had been. She decided to instead play the ignorant card. "Where have you been?" She asked. "I've been looking for you for hours."

She was quickly scooped up in his arms and received the most honest hug she'd ever felt. Lightning ignored the people stopping around them to cheer and snicker and returned the hug. The honeymoon was back on track.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you", Hope said.

Lightning suspected she would but didn't press the issue. "Maybe not, but you do know that it's bad manners to keep the bride waiting on the wedding night."

Hope pulled back a bit to exchange a grin with her and then laughed. They were back in their suite in minutes.

…

 **So, about Final Fantasy 15 in this chapter.**

 **I know I spelled Altissia wrong in the previous chapter, I may change it later.**

 **I laughed during the game when Prompto sung his praises for Aranea. I just had to incorporate that into this fic considering that Aranea and Lightning look a lot like each other.**

 **Anyway, that's it for now. See you around.**


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